I heard something the other
day that I found hard to believe, and had to look into it myself. I grew up
most of my life in the south, and have been familiar with the tiny hummingbird
for years. Only growing to be 3-5 inches in length and usually weighing between 2-6 grams,
these birds are beautiful and fast, but very, very small. Knowing this, I was
amazed to learn that they each year these little birds attempt what should be
impossible in order to migrate. They cross the Gulf of
Mexico. Hundreds of miles, from the U.S.
to Central America, with intense winds and
sometimes stormy seas, these incredible tiny birds have been spotted by
fisherman and oil rig workers alike. I could easily believe that a larger, more
powerful bird could make such a journey, but a tiny hummingbird?
What an inspiration to learn
that something so small and seemingly weak can make such an amazing journey. I
have been turning over in my mind how easy it is in life to look at the road
ahead, the goal in mind, and then stop when the ocean seems too big and I feel
so small. And then I think of these little birds.
The stories they could tell
about all their travels and what they have seen. Through sun and storms, high
winds and calm, they stay the course, focused intently on the goal. I wonder if
they love the feel of the salty ocean breeze against their wings, the rush of
the journey and the freedom of flight coursing through every cell. Who knows
what creatures of the sea have swum beneath them with their own stories to tell
of the sea and all its mysteries? What a beautiful and amazing picture; a
little bird flying above the waves, no more than a tiny dot in the midst of a
great ocean, with the salty waves below and a warm sun above, and miles and
miles of water all around. What a beautiful and amazing bird, and a story of strength
found in one of the most unlikely places.
Hummingbird
Ocean Sunset - photo by Sam
Edwards
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